If taken with certain drugs, alprazolam may raise the risk of serious or life-threatening respiratory issues, drowsiness, or coma. Inform your physician if you are currently taking or intend to take any opiate medications, including codeine (in Triacin-C, Tuzistra XR) or hydrocodone (in Anexsia, Norco, or Zyfrel) for coughing or codeine (in Fiorinal) for pain. Other opiate medications include fentanyl (Actiq, Duragesic, Subsys), hydromorphone (Dilaudid, Exalgo) (Conzip, Ultram, in Ultracet). The dosages of your medications may need to be adjusted, and your doctor will closely monitor you. You should call your doctor right away or seek emergency medical attention right away if you take alprazolam together with any of these drugs and have any of the following symptoms: Unusual lightheadedness, drowsiness, breathing that is sluggish or difficult, or inability to respond. If you are unable to seek treatment on your own, make sure your carer or family members are aware of any symptoms that may be dangerous so they can contact the doctor or emergency services.

Alprazolam might become a habit. Never exceed the recommended dosage, frequency, or duration. Always follow your doctor’s instructions. Inform your doctor if you use or have ever used illicit drugs, consumed excessive amounts of alcohol, or have ever misused any prescription drugs. Don’t consume alcohol or use illicit substances while receiving treatment. While receiving alprazolam therapy, consuming alcohol or using illicit substances increases your risk of developing these severe, potentially fatal adverse effects. Also let your doctor know if you suffer from depression or any other mental disease now or in the past.

If you take alprazolam for several days to weeks, especially, you run the risk of developing a physical dependence (a condition in which unpleasant physical symptoms appear if a medicine is abruptly withdrawn or taken in reduced doses). Without consulting your doctor, do not reduce the dosage or stop taking this drug. Stopping alprazolam abruptly can make your situation worse and result in withdrawal symptoms that could last anywhere from a few weeks to over a year. Your alprazolam dosage will likely be gradually reduced by your doctor. If you encounter any of the following symptoms, call your doctor or seek emergency medical attention: Unusual movements, ringing in the ears, anxiety, memory issues, difficulty concentrating, sleep issues, seizures, shaking, muscle twitching, changes in mental health, depression, burning or prickling sensations in the hands, arms, legs, or feet, thoughts of harming or killing yourself or others, excessive excitement, or losing touch with reality are some of the symptoms that can accompany these conditions.

Panic disorder and anxiety disorders are treated with alprazolam (sudden, unexpected attacks of extreme fear and worry about these attacks). Alprazolam belongs to the benzodiazepine drug family. It functions by reducing excessive cerebral excitation.

Alprazolam is available as a tablet, an extended-release tablet, an oral disintegrating tablet (a tablet that dissolves quickly in the mouth), and an oral liquid concentration. Typically, two to four times a day is the recommended dosage for the tablet, orally disintegrating tablet, and concentrated solution. One daily dose of the extended-release pill is taken, often in the morning. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any instructions on your prescription label that you are unsure about following. Administer alprazolam precisely as prescribed.

Use use the dropper that was included with your prescription to administer the concentrated liquid. Draw the recommended dosage for one dose into the dropper. Pour the contents of the dropper into a liquid or semisolid food, such as pudding, water, juice, soda, or applesauce. For a few seconds, carefully stir the liquid or food. The highly concentrated liquid will seamlessly incorporate into the dish. The entire concoction should be consumed right away. Don’t keep for later use.

Just before it’s time to take your dose, remove the orally disintegrating tablet from the bottle. Open the bottle with dry hands, take out the tablet, and lay it directly on your tongue. Saliva can be used to dissolve the tablet before it is ingested. You can take the orally disintegrating tablet with or without water.

Do not chew, crush, or break the extended-release pills; instead, swallow them whole.

Your doctor will likely prescribe you a low dose of alprazolam to begin with and gradually increase it, no more than once every three to four days.

Alprazolam is also occasionally used to treat premenstrual syndrome, depression, and agoraphobia. Discuss the potential dangers of using this medication for your illness with your doctor.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more details if you believe this drug should be used for something else.

Before taking alprazolam,

• Inform your doctor and pharmacist if you have any allergies to any medications, including estazolam, flurazepam, lorazepam (Ativan), oxazepam, quazepam (Doral), temazepam (Restoril), triazolam (Halcion), or chlordiazepoxide (Librium, in Librax), as well as any of the ingredients in products containing alprazolam. Request a list of the components from your pharmacist.
• If you use itraconazole (Onmel, Sporanox) or ketoconazole, let your doctor know (Nizoral). Most likely, your doctor will advise against taking alprazolam.
• Inform your doctor and pharmacist about any additional prescription and over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, and dietary supplements you are taking. Make sure you bring up any of the following: amiodarone (Cordarone, Nexterone, Pacerone); antidepressants (‘mood lifters’) like desipramine (Norpramin), imipramine (Tofranil), and nefazodone; antifungals such fluconazole (Diflucan), posaconazole (Noxafil), or voriconazole (Vfend); antihistamines; cimetidine (Tagamet); drugs for mental illness and seizures; cyclosporine (Gengraf, Neoral, Sandimmune); diltiazem (Cardizem, Cartia XT, Tiazac); ergotamine (Ergomar, in Cafergot, in Migergot); erythromycin (E.E.S., ERYC, others); isoniazid (Laniazid, in Rifamate, in Rifater); nicardipine; oral contraceptives (birth control pills), sedatives, sleeping pills, and tranquillizers. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) include fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem), fluvoxamine (Luvox), paroxetine (Brisdelle, Paxil, Pexeva), and sertraline (Zoloft). Your physician might need to adjust the dosage of your drugs or keep a close eye on you for side effects.
• Please let your doctor and pharmacist know if you are taking any herbal supplements, especially St. John’s wort.
• If you have glaucoma, let your physician know (increased pressure in the eye that may cause loss of sight). You might be advised by your doctor not to take alprazolam.
• Inform your physician if you suffer from, or have ever suffered from, lung, renal, or liver problems.
• If you are breastfeeding a child or intend to become pregnant, let your doctor know. The foetus could suffer from alprazolam. Call your doctor if you become pregnant while taking alprazolam.
• If you are 65 years of age or older, discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using this medicine with your doctor. Alprazolam should be used in low doses to older adults because bigger doses may not be as effective and may have dangerous adverse effects.
• Inform your doctor or dentist that you are taking alprazolam if you are having surgery, including dental surgery.
• The drug alprazolam has the potential to make you sleepy. Prior to understanding how this drug affects you, avoid using machinery or driving a car.

If you plan to consume grapefruit juice while taking this medication, consult your doctor.

If you miss a dosage, take it as soon as you recall. If the next dose is soon due, skip the missed one and carry on with your regular dosing plan. To make up for a missing dose, do not take a second one.

Side effects from alprazolam could exist. If any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away, let your doctor know right once:

• Drowsiness
• Light-headedness
• Headache
• Tiredness
• Dizziness
• Irritability
• Talkativeness
• Difficulty paying attention
• Mouth ache
• A rise in salivation
• Alterations in sex desire or capacity
• Nausea
• Constipation
• Alterations in appetite
• Weight variations
• Having trouble urinating
• Aching joints

Some adverse effects can be very harmful. Call your doctor right away or seek emergency medical attention if you encounter any of the symptoms below or those in the IMPORTANT WARNING section:

• Breathing difficulty
• Seizures
• Severely itchy skin
• The skin or eyes turning yellow
• Confusion
• Speech disorders
• Coordination or balance issues

Other negative effects of alprazolam are possible. If you experience any strange issues while taking this medicine, contact your doctor right away.

You or your doctor can submit a report to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting programme online or by phone if you have a serious side event (1-800-332-1088).

Keep this medication tightly closed in the original container and out of the reach of children. Store it away from excessive heat and moisture at room temperature (not in the bathroom). The bottle containing the orally disintegrating tablets should be firmly closed after removing any cotton.

As many containers (such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers) are not child-resistant and are simple for young children to open, it is crucial to keep all medications out of sight and out of reach of children. Always lock safety caps and promptly stash medication up and away from young children where it is out of their sight and reach to prevent poisoning. http://www.upandaway.org

Unused prescriptions must be disposed of carefully to prevent pets, kids, and other people from ingesting them. You should not, however, dispose of this medication in the toilet. Instead, utilising a medicine take-back programme is the easiest approach to get rid of your medication. To find out about take-back programmes in your area, speak with your pharmacist or the garbage/recycling department in your city. If you do not have access to a take-back programme, see the FDA’s Safe Disposal of Medicines website at http://goo.gl/c4Rm4p for additional information.

Call the poison control hotline at 1-800-222-1222 in the event of an overdose. Additionally, information can be found online at https://www.poisonhelp.org/help. Call 911 right once if the person has collapsed, experienced a seizure, is having difficulty breathing, or cannot be roused.

Overdose signs could include the following:

• Drowsiness
• Confusion
• A lack of cooperation
• Consciousness loss

Keep all of your doctor’s appointments.

No one else should take your medication. Alprazolam is an illegal drug. Only a limited amount of refills are permitted for prescriptions; if you have any doubts, speak with your pharmacist.

You should keep a written record of every medication you take, including any over-the-counter (OTC) items, prescription drugs, and dietary supplements like vitamins and minerals. This list should be brought with you whenever you see a doctor or are admitted to the hospital. You should always have this information with you in case of emergencies.